The Greatest Gift
by Whiitewolf
Summary: JJ & Hotch have been happily married for a year when she finds out she's pregnant. Things are unsteady at first, and many problems arise but they couldn't ask for a greater gift. Probably a three chaptered story.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I needed some more Jotch, so here's a little two-shot. (Could be three, we'll see)**

**Thanks to Herky Illiniwek for the idea! She's wonderful, check her stuff out.**

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"JJ?" came Garcia's concerned voice, through the stall.

Moaning, JJ tried to answer but instead threw up again. She winced as she tasted it.

"JJ, honey, are you okay? Maybe you should take a sick day," Garcia suggested, leaning against the counter, her worried eyes waiting for her friend to come out.

"I'm fine. I just have that flu going around," JJ said dismissively, leaning against the toilet.

"What flu?" Garcia asked in confusion, just in time to hear JJ gag again.

Suddenly, JJ felt a wave of fear.' She hadn't been this sick since...Everyone knew she loved kids, that wasn't what the panic was from. She and Hotch had just settled things down... They were approaching their one year anniversary. Were they ready for a kid? Was he? How would he feel? Things had been quite rocky lately... Would this make it worse?

_Don't get a head of yourself,_ JJ thought anxiously._ You don't know you're pregnant. You've been careful. You've been safe._ But still, the nagging feelings in her head... And no matter how careful one was there was never a guarantee.

"I'm fine," JJ repeated, getting up off her knees. Somehow, despite the pounding in her head, she managed to make it to the sink where she began greedily scooping water up into her mouth. Anything to try and get that terrible taste out of her mouth.

Sighing, Garcia let the matter drop and watched worriedly after her friend as they exited the bathroom.

The next hour passed very slowly. Each tick of the clock felt like an eternity, and before she knew it, the desk was coming up to meet her. If she'd been more awake, she'd have realized she was falling down to meet it.

"JJ?"

The voice startled her out of her almost peaceful sleep. Her head flew up and soon it registered where she was. "Oh my god, Hotch I'm so sorry," she said in a panic, her eyes flickering quickly around the room, trying to take everything in.

"Go home," was the only response she got.

"But-" she began, her hand flying up to push a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"No buts, go get some rest. Go see a doctor. When you're this sick you can't be of use here, so go rest, please."

She hated it when he looked at her like that. She caved, every time. Nodding reluctantly, she began to grab her things and she watched as her husband left her alone in the office.

She longed for a hug, for something. But she knew that he had to remain professional at work. It was part of the deal that he'd made with Strauss, whom had been about to send one of them to another team.

After Strauss had caught them making out in her office last week, they had to be extra careful. If she heard one more lecture about being unprofessional and how it was hard to pull strings...

JJ sulked as she glared at the table. She was damn good at her job! So what if she didn't hide that she and Hotch were together? Everyone knew they were.

Bitterness overwhelmed her features when she remembered Erin's words. "_It's very professional when the folders of victims are on your desk. I'm sure their families would love to hear that you made out on top of the folders containing pictures of their dead loved ones."_

She'd hit a nerve. JJ had felt guilty, and the expression on Aaron's face. She cared. That was the problem. She cared. And sometimes it was really hard. She'd never meant any disrespect. But Hotch was the one thing, besides Henry and Jack that made her happy. It was wrong but sometimes in those moments, his comfort was what kept her sane. She had no idea how she lasted all those years before.

She'd always care about the victims. She'd always feel sympathy for the families. And she did feel guilty.

All these thoughts overwhelmed her the entire drive home. The first thing she did was head straight into the bathroom, where the tears spilled. She and Hotch _had_ been going through a rough patch lately, and that was the main reason she was so worried about his reaction if she was pregnant. The signs had all been pointing to pregnancy lately. She just hadn't told him. She wasn't sure. She didn't want to be sure. Leaving it until the last moment, when she had to be sure had been the thing keeping her sane, but also the thing driving her over the edge.

And now, she really had to just figure this mess out and quit playing games. Deep breaths were hard to come by, but finally she managed. Her nerves slightly settled down, she got ready to do it. For once in her life, she wasn't sure if she wanted to pass or fail this test.

A few moments later, she walked out into the living room, not bothering to head over to the phone. It wasn't needed, not right now. She didn't need a doctor to tell her why she was sick. Not when the answer was on three pregnancy tests in the bathroom.

Once again, she was left feeling each passing second drag on. Now she had to tell Aaron. How on earth was she going to manage that?

Anxious, she swallowed slowly. It'd be okay. She knew he wouldn't leave her to raise the baby alone. But what if he wanted her to get rid of it? What if it caused more problems in their relationship?

She left to worry for another five hours before he came through the front door. In that time, Jack and Henry had been dropped off at their place, she'd managed to cook dinner, have a bubble bath and even start on her new book. But nothing made the time pass more quickly.

"How'd the doctor go?" Hotch asked the second he walked in, looking at his wife and hoping she was feeling even a little better.

"I didn't go," JJ admitted softly, twirling hair in between her fingers.

"JJ," Hotch groaned, "Your health is important."

"No, Hotch, I didn't need to go."

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, confused. But then he looked at her. And it was written all over her face. He'd knew... He'd known before she'd answered him, before she even opened her mouth...

"I'm pregnant."

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**Thank you to SpencerReidFan7 for looking this over for me, as always. What a lovely beta! **


	2. Chapter 2: Nine Long Months

**Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews guys! I really appreciate them.**

**This chapter will really be bouncing around the time line a bit. This is just a three-shot.**

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Already, JJ was chewing her lip unsure of what his reaction would be. The seconds that went by seemed to drag on, and she felt a nervous pit in her stomach that was constantly growing with each passing breath.

But soon enough, the corners of his mouth twitched and a huge smile appeared on his face. "JJ! That's terrific," he said, his tone sounding genuine. But for a moment, his face fell. "Well, I mean if you're intending to keep..." he trailed off a bit awkwardly, his expression telling her how he wished he could reword what he'd said.

She heard it in his tone. He'd never forgive her if she aborted the baby, and he'd try and talk her into keeping it. Neither of these things mattered because never would she abort a child. Especially a child they created, together.

"Of course I'm going to keep it," she reassured him, the hammering of her heart slowing to a steady, normal pace. A pace of human, and not a jack rabbit.

That was all he needed to hear before he ran towards her to hug her and for a second, his hand lingered on her stomach. They'd created something, together.

_~*JOTCH*~_

"A baby?" Reid asked in shock, his voice squeaking slightly. He hadn't expected this.

JJ gave Hotch's hand a quick squeeze. They'd decided to tell the team.

"A baby," JJ confirmed, her expression amused.

"You mean, a little adorable JJ or Hotch running around?" Garcia squeaked in excitement, her eye brows flying up into her bangs. "With big little eyes, and tiny little toes!"

"Congratulations!" Emily said, sounding genuinely happy for her friends, though JJ felt she detected a hint of something there. A wish for a child of her own, perhaps?

"A baby," Reid repeated, the shock leaving his features. "Another Henry?" he asked hopefully, thinking of his godson, whom he adored.

"Could be a girl," JJ pointed out, taking a sip of her gingerale. She didn't even look at Rossi who guiltily put his glass of wine back on the table.

"Ooh," Garcie cooed again, practically wiggling in excitement.

"How long have you known?" Derek asked, though even he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

"Only since Wednesday. We wanted to wait until the weekend to tell you guys," JJ said, throwing Hotch another look.

"I knew something was up!" Penelope said almost shooting up from her chair, her eyes narrowed at her friend. "You can't hide a thing from me."

"No, we most definitely can not," Hotch admitted.

"So girl or boy?" Emily inquired, leaning closer.

"There's no way JJ can know," Reid pointed out, confusion coming over his features.

"Oh, she knows," Garcia said defensively. "So, JJ?"

"Girl," JJ said, the positivity in her tone confusing Reid all the more.

"There's a fifty percent chance of that," Reid pointed out. However, seeing the look on JJ's face caused him to smile and drop his statistical approach.

"If she is a girl, what will you name her?" Emily asked eagerly.

"Annabelle, Amelia, Alyssa," JJ trailed off, "something pretty."

"Emma," Hotch said.

Both JJ and Hotch shared another look before their lips twitched. "We haven't really discussed it yet."

"Apparently," Garcia said, her grin even bigger imagining names for the child

"What if the child is a boy?" Morgan asked, his curiousity getting the best of him.

"It'll be a girl," JJ said. She loved Henry and Jack to death but it was time to have a little JJ running around the house, too.

"What if?" Morgan prompted some more.

Sighing in defeat, JJ paused thoughtfully. "Alex, Camson or Noah."

"I'd go with Damien." Hotch took another drink of his water.

The laughter erupted at the table. It was a good thing they had nine months, that was for sure.

_*~JOTCH~*_

Despite the obvious discomfort, the following weeks passed by more quickly than JJ would have thought.

"Tell me," Hotch demanded at first, before changing his mind. "No, don't, I don't want to know."

JJ shook her head. "We don't want to know," she agreed though her tone didn't sound so sure.

The nurse raised an eyebrow at the obviously conflicted couple. "You're sure you don't want to know the baby's sex?"

Sharing one last glance, both JJ and Hotch nodded. They wanted it to be a surprise but at the same time, the suspense was killing them.

"We're sure," JJ said softly, and in that moment she realized she was. Even with her curiousity, she knew she'd love her baby no matter what and she could see the same realization in Hotch's eyes.

"Garcia is going to kill us," Hotch leaned in to mutter.

Smiling, JJ agreed. "I know."

_*~JOTCH~*_

"I want the blue," JJ said a bit irritably, tapping her foot a bit impatiently as she watched them carefully.

"What if it's a girl?" Garcia asked casually.

"All this pink for girls, and blue for boys stuff is stupid. I want the blue," JJ repeated, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Both Hotch and Garcia exchanged a quick look. Neither of them wanted to argue with a pregnant JJ and instead both nodded in agreement.

"The blue it is," Hotch said cheerfully, reaching to grab the blue paint for the walls.

"Thank you," JJ said, her tone suddenly upbeat again.

Garcia recalled how JJ had been when she'd been pregnant with Henry. Easily irritated, though she tried not to show it.

"We're all set and ready to paint tomorrow," Hotch remarked as they walked out of the store, Garcia's arms full of bags, including some curtains that had been draped over her shoulder. And in his arms, he carried a couple bags as well and two buckets of paint.

"Today."

"What?" Hotch asked, looking over at his wife.

"I want it painted. Today." She'd stopped walking and was watching their reactions carefully. "I want this over with. I want one less thing to worry about. I need it off my list."

"You're right," Hotch agreed, though he was exhausted. "One less thing to do."

"I knew you'd understand," JJ said with a smile as she began walking again. She was about seven months along now, and these mood swings had become a regular thing.

Garcia chose not to spoke, but decided to call on Emily to come help them. They'd need it.

A few, long, tiring hours later, they were done.

"Are you ready to see?" Hotch asked hopefully, walking into the living room.

JJ nodded, and he reached down to help her to her feet.

They'd spent those hours carefully painting the walls the baby blue, along with a white trim along the corners and ceiling.

Garcia and Emily both stood there eagerly, smiles plastered on their faces as JJ came in the room.

Everyone watched anxiously as her eyes flickered back and forth between the walls and ceiling. And their hearts dropped when she shook her head. "It definitely has to be purple."

No one argued.

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**Thank you so much for reading!**

**I know we never saw it on the show, but JJ like most women would definitely be experiencing those pregnancy hormones. So if you find that out of character, I apologize. I'm basing this on off screen. Even JJ can't remain calm all the time, especially during a pregnancy.**

**The last chapter will be up soon! Sorry the time jumps, but this is just a three shot.**


	3. Chapter 3: Welcome, Samantha

**Author's Note: **_Thank you for those that have read this story! This shall be the final chapter and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this. _

_I also apologize for JJ's mood swings, if they seem out of character. _

_I've been witness to quite a few labours and am just taking an educated guess. _

* * *

"JJ, you're not due for another week or so," Hotch said sounding a bit uncertain, his eyes glancing over his wife whom had doubled over.

Her eyes narrowed after a moment, having finally realized what he was implying. "Hotch. I think I know when I'm in labour. You're not the one with the baby inside you." She stood up, using the dresser to aid her, her eyes full of determination.

"You're right," he said having caught sight of her look. He nearly scoffed. He caught serial killers for a living and he was afraid of that look of hers? Though, in his head he was sure Morgan would understand. Rossi, not so much. "I'll get the car started and grab your bag." He figured it best not to argue with her though he was certain that this was one of those fake labours some women experienced.

When he returned, JJ was on the phone. She hadn't wasted any time in getting a hold of Garcia and Emily. All that certainty of this being a false labour went out the window when he saw her facial expression. This was most definitely the real deal.

Despite her mood swings and his hidden panic the ride to the hospital was seemingly uneventful. The relief set in on JJ's face when she saw the tall, overwhelming building before them. Aaron's jaw twitched as he circled around the parking lot twice. With each frustrated sigh JJ made, he began to feel a bit worried that she was going to lose her marbles.

"I'll let you out here and find parking," he suggested, glancing over at her quickly.

"Oh? So you expect me to get there all by myself?"

Luckily for him, he saw both Garcia and Emily by the entrance. "They can help you and I'll be in as soon as possible." Ignoring the look on her face, he stopped the car and as he suspected, both Garcia and Emily crowded around trying to help her out.

"Baby?" Garcia gushed excitedly.

By the time he found parking and got inside, JJ was already in a room all set up.

"I changed my mind," JJ said in a panic. "I've decided, we don't want to have another baby."

"JJ!" Emily exclaimed. "One, it's too late for that and two, you're going to see her face and instantly regret those words."

Grumbling, JJ caught sight of Hotch. "You did this to me!"

"I'm going to go get a cof-" Aaron said quietly, his eyes wide. His profiler instincts said nothing about how to deal with a pregnant woman going into labour.

"Oh no you don't," Garcia objected shaking her head. "You get to hold her hand now." Pulling her hand out of JJ's grasp, Garcia shook it quickly trying to get rid of some of the pain.

"Of course," Hotch said instantly, changing places with Garcia. He tried not to wince as JJ immediately began squeezing.

"How are we doing in here?" Rossi asked, poking his head in.

"You have no idea how much this hurts," Hotch groaned thinking about his hand, but one shooting glare from JJ made him instantly regret that statement. "I meant for JJ." Both Emily and Garcia shook their heads at him.

"Sure you did," Rossi laughed. "Morgan and Reid are out in the waiting room."

JJ started to speak but was interrupted by another contraction. There was a sharp pain in Hotch's hand that made him wonder if he'd have feeling in his hand after this whole ordeal, but then he gave her a small squeeze back to let her know that he was still there and he could have sworn he saw a flicker of a smile on her face.

"Everyone but the husband out," a small Doctor said, walking in with her clipboard.

"We'll see you soon," Emily said reassuringly, while Garcia leaned forward to kiss JJ's forehead.

Rossi gave Hotch a quick, 'hang in there,' glance before walking out the door.

***~JOTCH~***

It was eight hours later when the team was allowed back in the room. Reid reached over to hand Garcia a kleenex whom had begun sniffling. There, in the room, was JJ holding a precious bundle of blankets while Hotch had squeezed onto the bed next to her.

"Oh, JJ," Emily said excitedly, being sure to keep her voice low. Jack and Henry let go of her hands and ran over to the bed to see their new sibling.

The smile on JJ's face told them that all that stress and pain had been worth it, and she protectively altered the baby's position. Hotch had a similar look on his face, and from the glances the two were exchanging all their bickering from earlier was long forgotten.

"Guys, meet Samantha Addison Hotcher-Jareau." And JJ turned so that all could get a look.

"Oh, look at her little hands!" Garcia exlaimed and there was no hesitation when JJ extended her arms so she could take the child.

"And little feet!" Emily added.

Even Morgan and Rossi had smiles on their faces as they watched the scene unfold.

"Softies," Spencer whispered, a huge smile on his face.

"Quiet, Pretty Boy," Morgan replied reaching to take a kleenex for himself.

"The Hotchner family has grown, so tell us you two, any plans to make that family bigger?" Rossi questioned, glancing back and forth between JJ and Hotch.

Both parents exchanged a quick look, before turning back to him. "Not for awhile," they said in unison, before laughing.

And little Samantha made her way around the room. She'd only been in the world for about an hour and she had no idea how loved she was and the joy she brought to a group of people that were often together in the worst of times. A team that often witnessed the worst of humanity. A team that often struggled to deal with the emotional turmoil they felt on each case. That team was there, smiling, laughing and felt so much happiness at the new life and it was all because of her.


End file.
